


a day in the life

by playitagain



Series: Domestic Bliss [1]
Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, These boys are in love, mentions of child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:34:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24344338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/playitagain/pseuds/playitagain
Summary: Pope has a 24 hours shift at the hospital and JJ doesn't sleep.
Relationships: JJ/Pope (Outer Banks)
Series: Domestic Bliss [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758445
Comments: 16
Kudos: 149





	a day in the life

**Author's Note:**

> booktopiaparadise asked for domestic fluff so here it is. These are just some head canons I want to share before you read: 
> 
> JJ likes to cook. He always wants to keep his hands busy and cooking is one of those ways. He likes that a recipe has freedom for interpretation (until baking) and experiments a lot with cooking.
> 
> Pope goes to medical school so he can open a small medical clinic on the cut to make sure the people from his home are getting proper medical care.

JJ doesn’t like being home alone. He had been so sure as a kid that living alone would be amazing. He wouldn’t have his father hanging over his head, fist ready. He wouldn’t have to worry about quiet steps, an attempt not to wake up a drunken man. He would just have to worry about himself. He would be able to do his own thing, be his own provider. 

That isn’t how it went though. He spends most of his nights at John B’s growing up and after the disappearance of his friend, he found himself staying over Pope’s. When John B came back (cleared of murder charges that JJ still isn’t sure how he got out of), he basically moved in with the other. It was around the same time his relationship with Pope changed to one that involved a little more romance and sex. It was probably good he had moved out before Pope’s parents caught them. 

It was the nights he was alone in these places that were always the hardest. There was always a noise to distract him from his thoughts, friends puttering around the house. When no one was around, he had nothing to keep his mind off his life. He had nothing to distract him. It’s how he ended up staying at John B’s long after he could afford to move to a small place of his own. It was how he found himself living in a small apartment with Pope, who was currently working a double at the hospital just down the street. 

It was also how JJ found himself lying on the couch, tracing a crack on the ceiling he could easily fix but the building manager won’t let him without a license. It’s complete bullshit, but Pope takes it all in stride. He’s the level headed one of the pair, despite some of the shit they got into during high school. He simply shrugs and says that it adds personality to the place. JJ doesn’t agree, wants their home to be perfect. It’s JJ’s first home with someone he loves, who loves him, but JJ is broken and cracked just like that ceiling and Pope doesn’t try to fix him either. 

The day had gone by slower than usual. The shop had been slow, but they had still allowed JJ to stay late, to play around with some of the stuff in the shop. He’s happy the owner trusts him to close up the shop, putter around and work on some of his small projects for a little extra money. 

It’s only just so long that someone can hang out in an old, dirty, oil smelling place though and he ends up trudging home at nearly 8 without any food in mind. It's one of those nights he thinks he’ll just grab a bowl of cereal and forget about cooking anything, no matter how much he enjoys doing so. 

The couch is inviting after the bland cereal (Pope won’t let him buy the good stuff on account of their health) and that’s how he finds himself staring at the crack along the ceiling. He has texted John B a few times, but the other is off doing his own thing tonight (it’s date night or something) and has told JJ they’ll talk later. Even Kiara has brushed him off at this point, busy saving some animal or another on an island that JJ can’t pronounce the name off. 

It leaves the sound of infomercials playing in the background as he tosses a stress ball Pope has lying around the house. He hates nights like these. He ends up spending them on the couch, teetering on the edge of sleep until Pope finally comes home. He’s lucky he’s off tomorrow or else he would probably be half asleep on the job. 

The problem with sleeping alone is that the nightmares come back tenfold. When Pope is there, holding him close, it’s easier to forget about the hand of his father. It’s easier to remember that at least somebody loves him in this cruel cruel world. The infomercial lull him to sleep eventually, but it doesn’t last long. He is springing up less than an hour later, tired and panicked as he tries to calm his heart beat. It’s been years since he has lived with his father and he is still haunting his dreams. Pope says it’s a normal part of PTSD, but JJ just thinks it makes him look weak. He hates that he is still dealing with this years later. 

Pope does his research though and walks JJ through some deep breathing. JJ does just that now. He likes it better when Pope is there, sitting across from him, holding him as they breath together. Pope never says anything, but he always knows what to do. He always knows when JJ is starting to crack under the pressure or when JJ wakes from a terrible nightmare. JJ still feels bad he wakes Pope up, but Pope is always so nice about it. He could never be mad at JJ for stuff like that and that’s one of the reasons JJ loves him so much. 

JJ spends the rest of the night going in and out of consciousness until his own alarm startles him at 6:30. Pope won’t be back for another hour and JJ gets to work on a breakfast of champions for him. 

That’s one thing JJ found out he enjoys a lot. When he was living with his father, cooking was a necessity, the only way he was going to get food. He remembers cooking eggs before he could even do multiplication. This was different though. He wasn’t making food to survive. He was making food to thrive. 

Cooking was an outlet for him. It was freeing in a way that gave him guidance while also being able to experience and create new things. The recipes were simply a suggestion (unlike baking, which is why he hadn’t liked baking nearly as much) and JJ found he enjoyed being able to experiment. Pope was a good sport too. He tries everything JJ makes, even when it is complete and utter shit. The other puts on a smile, proud and warm and loving, and pretends to like it. JJ will simply roll his eyes and tell the other to cut the crap and stop eating whatever shit he made that night. They would always go to their favorite pizza place when JJ messes up a recipe. 

It was different when something came out good. Pope would look at him with so much pride it would make JJ’s heart swoon. Pope would always chow down when JJ made something good, moaning around his fork in a way that made JJ want to ravish him (and he usually did). JJ was always happy when he cooked something good just so he could see that look on Pope’s face. 

He decides to play it safe this morning though. French toast is one of Pope’s favorites and he knows the other will want something indulgent after his shift. JJ can tell he struggles when he’s on a 24 hours rotation, dragging himself into the house after and sleeping all day before he has to drag himself back to work. JJ worries, but Pope reassures him that it will all be worth it once he finishes his residency. He just has to get a few more years in and then he’ll be able to take a small step back (he always stresses the small) and hopefully start toward his real goal of opening a small medical clinic back at the cut. 

JJ always loses himself in his cooking and today is no different. He actually is so lost in his project that he doesn’t hear the front door open and close and doesn’t realize Pope is home until arms wrap around his waist, a sleepy face appearing on his shoulder. It startles JJ, nearly knocking Pope’s head from his shoulder before he finally catches sight of the other. “Sorry for scaring you,” Pope yawns, head shifting so he can stuff his nose in JJ’s neck. 

“How was work?” JJ asks, just pulling the last of the french toast off the pan. He turns off the stove before he turns around, allowing the other to burrow his head into his neck, arm slinking around his waist to pull him closer. 

“Fine. Just tiring,” Pope mumbles against his skin. JJ simply presses his lips to the other’s temple, arms giving the other a little squeeze before they pull away from each other. Pope takes that opportunity to bring his hands up to JJ’s face, thumb rubbing back and forth in a soothing manner. “You didn’t sleep.” It’s not a question but an observation and JJ simply shrugs in answer, leaning forward to give the other a peak before he takes the french toast to their small kitchen table. 

“Nah, I just hate sleeping without you. Wanted to wait,” JJ brushes off, grabbing the maple syrup and placing it on the table. Pope frowns, but doesn’t seem to have the energy to argue as he trudged over to the table. 

They eat in relative silence, a normal occurrence when Pope has a 24 hours shift. The other is often too worn out to even process words and JJ doesn’t like to push, doesn’t want to make it harder for Pope by sharing his own worries about his long hours. Pope’s heard them before and they’ve talked about it. It never stops JJ’s worries though. 

“Thanks for breakfast,” Pope mumbles, a small smile on his lips as he places his plate in the sink. The dishes can be done later. JJ is already feeling the lack of sleep and all he wants to do is curl up in bed with Pope, thankful for the fact he doesn’t have to work today. 

JJ simply gives a smile in answer, fingers going to lace with Pope’s as he pulls him toward the small bedroom. 

It’s the usual routine. Pope has always taken care of JJ, helped him without question, and this is the one time where JJ really feels like he gets to take care of the other. 

They stand in the middle of the room, Pope’s eyes drooping closed as JJ pulls his shirt over his head. He presses a kiss to the other’s cheek before placing one over his heart, fingers moving to untie the pull string in his scrubs. They easily fall to the floor as Pope takes a step forward into JJ’s open arms. They stay like that a moment, simply wrapped in each other’s arms before JJ finally pulls away and leads them to bed. 

It’s easy to curl up next to Pope. JJ remembers always being on high alert in his own home, never safe. Pope’s arms are the only place he feels safe, supported. They’re the only place he feels comfortable letting his guard down. Pope is warm and solid against him, fingers already playing with JJ’s hair. 

“I think we should get a dog,” Pope finally mutters, eyes closed and nearly half asleep. JJ looks at him in surprise, but the other is already drifting off, tired from his long shift. 

JJ can’t help the smile that pulls up his lips. He’s been trying to get a dog for ages and Pope has been unconvinced, but this could finally be his chance. They’ll talk about it later though, when they wake up hours from now while the world around them is getting ready for bed.

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, still obsessed. I'm just here to contribute to this amazing underrated pairing. 
> 
> If you have a request in mind, I'll see what I can do. I make no promises but I'm looking for some recommendations to Incorporate into my stories. 
> 
> I really appreciate the feedback I've been getting and it's really fueling me to continue to write for these two so thank you so much for the support <3


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